Page 15 of Claiming Bennett (Montgomery Dreams #3)

BENNETT

It’s been a few days since I woke up to an empty bed and the scent of Maggie clinging to my sheets.

I’ve gotten nothing but glimpses of her since, her eyes lingering on me as she rushes to her car in the mornings. Not an earring left on my nightstand or a teasing wave sent my way, just those honey gold eyes tracking me before she closes herself away in her car and speeds off.

If I was prone to getting attached, I might be hurt by the sudden cold shoulder.

As it is, I’m a little confused by how quickly she turned to ignoring me, but if she got what she wanted, it’s no skin off mine. I wouldn’t mind another chance to pin her down and have my way with her, but if all I get is a night, I can be satisfied with that.

It was a hell of a night, after all.

I go through my normal morning ritual—coffee while the sun comes up, breakfast, make it out to the barn before the chill of night fully dissipates. The familiarity of it is soothing, and my mind drifts away from thoughts of Magnolia as the scent of hay and wood replaces the lingering memories.

I make it halfway through pulling tack out for everyone’s horses before I’m interrupted.

The musky scent of leather twines with a shock of vanilla perfume, and the bridle in my hand is replaced by Maggie’s trim waist before I even have a chance to realize what’s happening.

I step back in surprise when it sinks in, and yank my hands away from her like I’ve been burned. She laughs when I whirl to look behind me.

“I made sure no one was around,” she assures me, reaching out to pull my attention back toward her.

Her hand tangles in the hem of my shirt, unblemished skin and neatly painted nails a contrast to the dirt and dust already smeared across my forearms. I go easily when she tugs me a step closer, my heart thudding in my chest as she tips her head back with that same sweet, tempting smile she aimed at me when she was spread out in my bed.

It’s impossible to resist the silent demand for a kiss, and I duck my head to get a taste of her sugar sweet lip gloss.

She tastes like fruit and coffee, and she melts against my chest with a happy little hum.

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her even closer, pressing the length of my body against hers and relishing in just how tiny she is.

I probably weigh double what she does, broad everywhere she’s thin, bulky where she’s lean.

Pretty little thing, soft and sweet against me, with just enough bite to keep things interesting.

I don’t make a habit of getting attached to anyone these days, but if she keeps up like this, I might just have to find a way to keep her. It’s an awful, stupid idea, but sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind.

“Good morning,” she says with a giggle when I finally pull back.

I hum in agreement. “It sure is now.”

“I’ve been craving you, but Dad’s been on my ass and I haven’t been able to sneak out.” She runs her dainty hands up my chest and splays them out along my shoulders as she flutters her lashes at me. “I’ll try to come see you tonight, though?”

My stomach tightens as excitement bubbles there, something I’m scared to admit might just be butterflies. God, am I really this easy?

“Looking forward to it, sweet Magnolia,” I say softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

She looks pretty like this, in the dim light of the tack room, hair down over her shoulders in loose waves.

There’s something so inherently soft about her that makes it so hard to take her seriously when she gets bratty, but that just makes it better.

My rules against relationships are crumbling the longer I look at her, and I remind myself that good sex doesn’t make a relationship work.

Things feel different with her, though. I was never this drawn to my ex, but every time I see Maggie, it’s like gravity is pulling us together.

Her eyes flit away from mine, and she steps out of my arms to look around the room awkwardly.

“I’m glad you’re being cool about this,” she says, her voice tight with tension.

“Most guys try to force me into a relationship right away, you know? I’m not looking for anything serious, so it’s just…

it’s cool that you’re chill about it all. Like, us… hooking up. It’s good.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, the butterflies in my stomach turning to balls of lead. Of course this matters more to me than it does to her. That’s always how it goes with me, isn’t it?

Fuck, I can’t believe I was stupid enough to even let myself hope.

My brows furrow at the look she gives me, searching and guarded. A flicker of something that almost looks like hope crosses her face too fast for me to catch it properly, but my chest is too tight to think much on it. What would she even be hoping for?

I don’t want to think about other guys trying to tie her down, and I don’t want to think about how possessive I’ve grown of her. She was never mine, and clearly, she’s not going to be.

I was just letting my mind get away from me.

Stupid.

“Yeah, totally.” I force the words out through my teeth, shrugging even though it feels like I’m ripping my muscles apart to make the movement look natural. “I don’t date. Totally cool with me.”

Her face twitches like she wants to frown, but I just grit my teeth and turn my focus back to getting the tack in order.

Fucking stupid. I can’t fall all over myself every time a pretty girl pays attention to me.

Maybe I should head out to a bar sometime this week, find someone to fall into bed with.

The thought brings a foul taste to my mouth.

“Ben, can you get the far pastures this morning too? I need Bo to—Maggie?”

Both of us jump at the sound of David’s voice.

I narrowly avoid dropping a saddle straight onto my foot, thank Christ. There would be no avoiding suspicion if I did that. Maggie’s face is caught between paling in fearful surprise and the snarky mask I’ve gotten used to.

At least he saved us the awkwardness of figuring out what to say to each other after that.

“The fuck are you talking to my daughter for, Ben?” David asks, all warmth gone from his voice like it’s never been anything but grit and anger.

Maggie thankfully answers before I manage to put together a half-assed excuse. “God, can you chill out , Dad? How dare I say good morning, right?”

On second thought, maybe a shitty excuse would be better than flat out antagonization.

I can’t believe I let myself be so stupid.

Did I really think putting myself in this situation was worth a good fuck?

Even if I—foolishly—allowed myself to dream about something more for a moment there, I should never have let anything happen. This isn’t about me .

If this blows up in my face, it’s going to rock the entire foundation of everything my Pa has worked on with David. To say he’d be pissed is putting it lightly.

David’s fiery glare doesn’t waver from my face, ignoring his daughter except for a scoff sent in her direction.

His eyes are dark and his cheeks are red with barely restrained anger, his fists shaking at his sides as he stares me down.

I do my best to make myself look smaller, but it’s hard to tuck more than six feet of bulky muscle in with any real effect.

“I expect you to work while you’re here, boy,” he says, raking an unimpressed glare over me. “Not flirt with my daughter.”

Maggie once again cuts in before I can assure David that nothing of the sort was happening.

“Uh, hello?” she asks, waving a hand in her dad’s face and stepping closer to get his attention. “Can you hear? I was saying good morning and checking on his arm.”

“Why are you worried about his arm?” David asks sharply, his gaze finally snapping over to her.

I let out a silent, controlled sigh of relief, although I expect it’ll be short-lived. If I talked to my Pa like that, he’d pop me in the mouth, but David seems used to it.

“You do remember that I work at the doctor’s office ?” she asks, just as scathing and sharp, meeting her dad toe to toe. “And you remember Ben here slicing his arm open? Dr. Mulaney asked me to see if it was healing well or if she needed him to come back in. We’re both just doing our jobs.”

She and David are locked in a staring contest, both trying to prove they can out-last the other. If they weren’t standing in the doorway, I might try to sneak past them, but I’m stuck until they finish their argument.

David looks beside himself with fury, eyes flitting between me and Maggie like he can’t decide who he wants to lay into first. His nostrils flare wide and the muscles in his jaw clench hard enough for me to see even beneath his scruffy beard.

Maggie, though, now that her surprise has worn off, looks positively thrilled .

That same light that flickers each time I argue with her shines bright in her eyes now, and the edge of a grin tugs at her lips.

It’s there and gone so quickly that I almost miss it, but there’s no denying that she’s enjoying this.

She may not have planned on it happening, but it’s going exactly how she wants it to.

It’s more coldhearted than I expected from the girl who cried into my pillow when I took her virginity. She’s not even using me to toss her virginity away with someone hot, she’s using me to piss her dad off. I’m nothing but a pawn in her little game. I refuse to admit that the realization hurts.

I should’ve expected this. I shouldn’t have let myself hope for more.

“Since you’re so interested in that job of yours suddenly, you’d best get to it before you’re late,” David says, finally breaking the tense silence.

Maggie scowls at him for another few, long seconds before scoffing and rolling her eyes.

“Whatever. Dr. Mulaney will probably call you during her lunch break.” She directs the words at me, but doesn’t tear her gaze away from her dad as she stalks around him to the doorway of the feed room. “Have a good day, Ben .”

She stresses my name like she thinks it’s funny, but all I can do is be grateful that she didn’t correct him on what he called me.

If I’m lucky, she thinks it’s a nickname and won’t mention it.

I doubt David would recognize me just based off my first name, but I don’t want to test my luck with how pissed off he is right now.

I don’t respond to Maggie’s farewell, smart enough to keep my mouth shut since David is still glaring at me like he wants to rip a limb or two off me. She blows a kiss at me from behind his back, but I ignore that too.

If he knew what I did to his daughter just two days ago, I doubt he’d be happy with just glaring at me.

“Maggie is a spoiled brat, and she’s trying to get under my skin,” David says, sounding exhausted and threatening simultaneously. “I hope, for your sake, that she really was just checking on your arm. You’re not stupid enough to try anything with my daughter, are you, Ben?”

The air between us is thick with tension. If David had any inkling of who my father was, he’d throw me off the ranch here and now, cattle drive be damned.

I shrug off the lingering tightness in my chest at the thought of Magnolia using me and offer David a crooked grin. “I may be dumb, sir, but I’m not that dumb. I know better than to get myself in trouble like that.”

If only that was the truth.

David doesn’t know me well enough to see the layer of dishonesty in my eyes. Fuck, maybe I should be glad that she’s not pushing for more. I’m dodging a bullet in more ways than one by staying off David’s radar.

“Good kid,” he says with an answering laugh.

He claps me on the shoulder, the hard edge of anger fading away from his features.

With a nod toward the door, he drops his hand and steps away.

“Come on, I’ll have someone else handle feeding this morning.

I want you and Bo to help me handle the drive this year. Let’s go hash out all the details.”

I settle the saddle in my hands over one of the racks and wipe my hands off on my jeans, using the moment to center myself again. This is what I’m here for, after all. I’m not going to let some girl who doesn’t even want me mess things up.

I squash down the bitter guilt creeping up my throat and shoot David an easy smile before grabbing one last set of reins and slinging them over the saddle.

“Sounds like a plan, boss.”

This won’t go anywhere serious, but Maggie already said she’d be stopping by tonight. It can’t hurt to play along for one more night. After all, I still owe her a punishment for lying to me. I look down at the reins I just set down, a grin twitching at my lips.

I have just the thing in mind.